'We were spat on, called baby-killers': Vietnam veterans remember

IT TOOK Vietnam War veteran Lester White more than 20 years to start marching in Anzac Day parades.

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, the Roma man and ex-naval officer Bill Vierveyzer reflected on their very different involvements in one of the most controversial wars of the 20th century.

Mr White, who was part of the 7th RAR, kept quiet about his time fighting for Australia, largely because of the negative opinion the nation had for the armed forces.

"With the public, it wasn't very popular at all,” he said.

I didn't talk about it, because of the feeling they had against us.

"The majority of the public hated the army because we were involved in Vietnam, but it wasn't our fault - it was the government's fault.

"It wasn't until I came to Roma in the 1990s that I started getting involved with Anzac Day.”

Mr Vierveyzer, who reached the rank of Petty Officer, saw the war from an unusual perspective - on board the HMAS Sydney that shipped soldiers to and from Vietnam

Nicknamed the Vung Tau Ferry, it was on the ship where Mr Vierveyzer witnessed the toll that the war had had on the men fighting in it.

"I saw them fresh-faced, pretty eager when they were going over. When they came back, it was horrifying,” he said.

"They were traumatised, there was anxiety and you tried your best to keep them comfortable but they weren't sleeping.

"One night, one of the soldiers came into the mess hall with a knife and was threatening everybody.

"A couple of guys jumped on him and got him back to the medical bay.”

Naval officers were hardly treated better than their comrades in the army, as Mr Vierveyzer found out when she went ashore.

"In the late 1960s, we were required to go to shore in uniform - that was mandatory,” he said.

"There were times when we would go ashore, walk through downtown Sydney and we were spat on, called baby-killers and whatever else.

"Shortly after that, the Chief of Naval Staff decided to let us go to shore in a civilian clothes to try and stop some of that.”

Roma RSL secretary Lionel Young said it was important to remember the service of veterans from all wars, particularly Vietnam.

Roma will see two events run next week to commemorate the Vietnam War, starting with a ceremony at the cenotaph on Bungil St on Thursday from 5pm.

The Roma RSL and Apex Club will also hold a BBQ to honour our Vietnam veterans at the RSL Hall on Saturday from 11.30am.